National briefs

West Australian Nationals leader
Brendon Grylls
will comply with an order by the state’s freedom of information commissioner to reveal correspondence between his office and Queensland billionaire
Clive Palmer
. State Labor opposition MP Mark McGowan has pursued Mr Grylls and the government over its relationship with Mr Palmer and questioned whether it was influenced by him to increase a $45 million environmental bond for his Balmoral South project in the Pilbara region. Mr Grylls will hand the documents to Mr McGowan today. The Nationals leader said he had nothing to hide but had not initially released the documents because he had legal advice they would reveal unrelated, commercially sensitive information of other companies. He has asked these firms about the release. Peter Kerr

The ACCC has approved the merger of two of the nation’s biggest race clubs, with industry sources tipping the new single Sydney metropolitan club could be operating by next month. NSW Minister for Racing Kevin Greene said a few administrative issues remained to be ironed out before the club – the name of which is yet to be revealed – is officially launched. “This is an important milestone but a few issues still must be examined. Once they are signed off on, it won’t take long till the club is up and running," Mr Greene said. The combined membership of the Australian Jockey Club (AJC) and the Sydney Turf Club (STC) will be about 14, 000 with about 250 full-time and 2000 part-time staff. AJC CEO Darren Pearce was last week named CEO of the merged Club. Fiona Carruthers

Western Australia’s new $100 million state theatre was opened yesterday. The main performance space is dedicated to West Australian actor Heath Ledger. It will be home to the Black Swan and Perth Theatre companies. West Australian Premier
Colin Barnett
compared the launch in significance to Perth’s opulent His Majesty’s Theatre, which was opened at the turn of the last century.